1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a custom installation television receiver and, more particularly, to a custom installation television receiver in which the front panel exposed to the user can be varied depending upon the desired usage of the installed television receiver.
2. Description of Background
There is currently a trend toward larger and larger television receivers or monitors, that is, larger and larger display screens, and such large television receivers may be either the standard cathode ray tube kind or the projection kind.
Because such large television receivers appear somewhat unsightly when simply placed in a room, a further trend is to provide a custom-type installation, particularly in new homes, where the generally large television receiver is built into a wall of the viewing area.
It is also a present trend to provide a complete audio/video system within the home environment and, frequently, such audio/video systems can be quite complex in regard to the controls necessary to connect various program sources to the amplifiers, speakers, monitors and the like making up the system.
It is yet a further trend to use the television receiver in the home as a display for so-called video games, which are typically played by younger members of the family.
These various requirements for control of the television receiver in an audio/video system present a problem when it is desired to provide a custom installation, since different users have different control capability requirements and capabilities.
Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a television receiver that can be custom installed in various manners to accommodate the requirements of different individual users of the television receiver.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a custom installation television receiver with a variable front panel configuration, so that different control capabilities can be provided, depending upon the requirements of the ultimate user of the system.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a television monitor/receiver is provided that has a variable front panel configuration, so that in one configuration only the bezel of the television receiver is visible, in another configuration the bezel and a control panel are visible, and in a third configuration the bezel, the control panel, and a speaker grill are visible.
By providing an installation with only the bezel showing, the controls of the television receiver are hidden from view and the television receiver must be controlled by the control unit provided for the audio video system, which control units typically are complex. Thus, the installation of this embodiment is intended for the sophisticated user.
On the other hand, when the bezel and a control panel are provided, the television receiver can be controlled in its programming aspects by the controls provided on the control panel and different program sources can be selected by using the controls of the audio video system, which necessarily need not be complex. Thus, this embodiment permits the user to control generally the television receiver using the controls on the front panel.
Lastly, by providing the controls in the front panel, as well as the loudspeaker panel, the user need not know anything more than how to turn on the television and select a channel to enjoy all of the features provided by the television receiver.
The manner in which these and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention are achieved will become apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments, to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.